Tag: advocacy

Countdown to Velo-city 2012: Charter for Young Bicyclists

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By Sarah Ripplinger

An RCMP helps a child appropriately snap on a helmet.

Teaching kids about biking in their cities is one of the most essential ways to maintain and increase cycling numbers. Learning the skills necessary to master cycling in their cities is a right all children should have access to through school and community programs.

Velo-city Global 2012 organizers; the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF), owners of the Velo-city conference series; and the City of Vancouver have announced the upcoming signing of the Charter of Vancouver on Children and Cycling, which will officiate this right.

Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson and ECF president Manfred Neun will be among the expected signatories of the charter on June 29, 2012, during the Velo-city Global 2012 conference in Vancouver, BC.

According to a release:

The Charter of Vancouver is a document outlining the important connection between children and cycling, and is based on the United Nations 1990 Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Charter is designed to recognize children’s rights worldwide, the special ability of cycling to enshrine them and a commitment from the signatories to call for the adoption of goals, policies and practices towards cycling as a means to further recognize and promote the rights of children.

…

At Velo-city Global 2012, children and cycling are the foundation of one of the conference’s major themes, Empowering People and Inclusivity. Conference delegates can expect sessions focusing on incorporating cycling education into school curriculums, promoting youth engagement in alternative transport planning and transportation decision making, as well as best practices for bike to school programs.

The signed document is expected to “serve as a legacy for the City of Vancouver (and) the Velo-city Global 2012 conference,” the release continued. It formally recognizes the importance of teaching children about cycling and continuing to support the use of bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation.

ABOUT VELO-CITY GLOBAL 2012

Velo-city Global is the world’s premier international cycling planning conference. The four-day event offers delegates from around the world a chance to share best practices for creating and sustaining cycling-friendly cities where bicycles are valued as part of daily transport and recreation.

The Velo-city Global conference unites politicians, engineers, planners, architects, social marketers, academics, researchers, environmentalists, advocates, educators and industry representatives. Delegates join forces and foster international collaborations. The event also draws experts from related areas, such as health, economics and the environment.

Velo-city Global 2012 is expected to host over 1,000 delegates from around the world. The conference will be held June 26 -29 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel, accessible by the new Hornby Street separated bike lanes.

Visit velo-city2012.com/registration to register now.

Check back to the Countdown to Velo-city 2012 blog each week for updates on the conference, its speakers and the people on the attendance list.

Originally published on momentummag.com.

Countdown to Velo-city 2012: Q & A with Delegate Lisa Slakov

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By Sarah Ripplinger

Velo-city Global 2012 expects to attract around 1,000 delegates to the beautiful and bike-friendly city of Vancouver, BC. From June 26-29, policy analysts, city planners, engineers and politicians will flock to British Columbia’s most populous city to discuss how to make cities around the world greener and more amenable to cycling traffic.

One such attendee will be Lisa Slakov. A member of the organizing committee for Velo-Talk – a bike advocacy workshop that will take place on June 25 – as well as the Vancouver/ UBC chair of the local cycling advocacy organization HUB, Slakov is an active proponent of cycling in her community.

I asked Slakov a few questions about her motivations for wanting to attend Velo-city 2012 and what she hopes to gain from taking part in the conference.

Why are you attending the upcoming Velo-city Global?

It’s an amazing opportunity to be part of a great international cycling conference, since it’s happening here in Vancouver. I can hardly wait for the cycling buzz to descend on the city and liven up streets and paths as well, as the conference centre.

What presentations are you looking forward to most? 

HUB is receiving support from Velo-city and TransLink to send presenters to the conference on the dates that they are presenting HUB-related presentations. Consequently, I am attending on two dates and am looking forward to the two presentations that I’m involved in – on Wednesday the Right to Bike Child Cycling Education Framework presentation and, on Thursday, a presentation on the complementary role of academics, advocates and government agencies in influencing cycling facilities and route networks. Of course, I’m looking forward to all the other presentations I can take in during those two days!

You are the Vancouver/ UBC chair of HUB (formerly the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition). What is the most rewarding aspect of working for a bicycling advocacy organization?

I’m very happy to say that Heather Harvey has joined me as co-chair, which makes the job a much greater pleasure. That brings me to my first thought regarding the rewards of doing this work, which has to do with the connections I’m constantly making with great people involved in cycling. I’ve also really enjoyed working on cycling – one of my favorite things to do – and seeing positive change happen in Vancouver as a result of the HUB advocacy work.

What are you doing in your work to bring more Vancouverites into the commuter cycling fold?

We are relying on the ongoing efforts of HUB staff and legions of volunteers to advocate for better cycling and provide programming, such as Bike to Work and Bike to School weeks and cycling education to reach out to a lot of people. In addition, we’re looking to research to guide us in ensuring that our advocacy work is supporting bringing more people into the “fold.” Specifically, we’ve benefited enormously from the Cycling in Cities research being conducted out of UBC.

What’s one thing that North American cities have gotten right over the past few years when it comes to planning for more bicyclists?

I think that some North American cities are looking at evidence-based research to decide re how to develop their cycling infrastructure and, at least in the case of Vancouver in recent years, are doing a good job of consulting with the cycling community and the public to have a better understanding of needs.

What do you think is an essential ingredient for establishing cycling-friendly cities in North America?

It’s evident that separating traffic and cyclists as much as possible (as we do for pedestrians and traffic) is a key ingredient for cycling-friendly cities. I also think that we need to include a lot more education of cyclists and drivers, as well as promotion of cycling alongside infrastructure developments.

Have you noticed a political and social shift in favor of biking over the past few years? What is the climate like for bike policy in Vancouver right now?

I’m very happy with the direction that public opinion, and consequently our political leadership, is taking in Vancouver at this time with respect to cycling. There are a lot of issues out there to balance (with the issue of biking), but I really believe that enabling a lot more active transportation has a multitude of positive benefits for our cities that go way beyond just cycling.

What do you think will happen in the aftermath of Velo-city 2012?

I’m hoping that a lot of positive change will come out of the conference, including an increased public awareness of the advantages of encouraging cycling in the city. I’m also hoping for increased awareness of HUB, as well as more ideas for the City of Vancouver to pursue as a result of conference learnings.

With respect to a specific project, the British Columbia Cycling Coalition‘s Education Committee is proposing a province-wide standard and framework for child cycling education and has obtained great support from many different sources. Our committee hopes that the Province of BC will use the conference as an opportunity to throw its support behind the initiative. We’re very concerned that if we don’t move in a big way – as they do in other jurisdictions, such as the UK – on child cycling education, we’ll soon have a population that doesn’t even know how to ride a bike, let alone commute to work!

What part of Velo-city 2012 are you looking forward to most?

Meeting great people and seeing the city alive with cyclists!

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Velo-city Global 2012 is expected to host over 1,000 delegates from around the world. The conference will be held June 26 -29 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel, accessible by the new Hornby Street separated bike lanes.

Visit velo-city2012.com/registration to register now.

Check back to the Countdown to Velo-city 2012 blog each week for updates on the conference, its speakers and the people on the attendance list.

Originally published on momentummag.com.

Countdown to Velo-city 2012: Highlights from Velo-city Global 2010

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By Sarah Ripplinger

The procession wound through a greenway created when Copenhagen was able to buy an abandoned single-track rail line. I was told the entire track runs 15 km.

In the interest of giving some background about the Velo-city Global conference series, it’s worth taking a look back at Velo-city Globals of the past.

 

In 2010, Momentum had our very own on-the-ground reporter cover the conference and events. This year’s conference will be no exception. Since the venue is in Momentum’s hometown of Vancouver, BC, we will be in attendance and bringing you up-to-date coverage of the event.

Hope to see you there!

Enjoy these highlights from Velo-city Global 2010 in Copenhagen, Denmark, which

…brought for the first time in the history of velo-city urban planners, politicians, NGOs and bicycle professionals from around the world in the city of Copenhagen to discuss the potential and challenges of cycling.

The more than 1100 participants came from very different backgrounds, were at different stages with very different challenges, but the vision for all was clear: getting more people to cycle.

The aim of the conference was to provide inspiration and ideas to concrete actions, whatever the challenges to cycling were. It was also to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences across borders and across disciplines.

Here is Momentum‘s coverage by reporter, Dianna Waggoner:

Spreading the Word

Wading through the masses of bikes and cyclists

The grand finale

Velo-city Global 2012 is expected to host over 1,000 delegates from around the world. The conference will be held June 26 -29 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel, accessible by the new Hornby Street separated bike lanes.

Visit velo-city2012.com/registration to register now.

Check back to the Countdown to Velo-city 2012 blog each week for updates on the conference, its speakers and the people on the attendance list.

Originally published on momentummag.com.

Countdown to Velo-city 2012: Velo Village

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Only two months remain until Velo-city Global 2012, which will take place in Vancouver, BC, from June 26-29, 2012.

In the lead-up to the conference, delegates can also participate in Velo Village on Salt Spring Island between June 21 and 23.

There will be fun, games and knowledge exchange. In addition to bicycle-themed performances, art exhibits, workshops and a 100-meter bicycle-only ferry … [there will also be] a one-day conference focused on cycling and rural mobility.

Read more about past Salt Spring Island bicycling events here.

Velo-city Global presents a unique opportunity to connect and learn from cycling experts from around the world who have transformed their communities into places where people of all ages can safely cycle. View the draft program here.

There are also some great events before the conference including Velo-Talk and Hub‘s (formerly the VACC) advocacy workshop on June 25.

Early bird registration rates have been extended to April 30. Visit velo-city2012.com/registration to secure your spot now.

Check back to the Countdown to Velo-city 2012 blog each week for updates on the conference, its speakers and the people on the attendance list.

Originally published on momentummag.com.

Countdown to Velo-city 2012 – Build It and They Will Come

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Lucky attendees at the Velo-city Global 2010 conference in Copenhagen had an opportunity to check out the city’s fine cycling infrastructure.

Transportation infrastructure is a key focus of the upcoming Velo-city Global conference in Vancouver, BC. No wonder, considering that the bicycle helped pave the way for the automobile back in the late 1800s.

How the Dutch Got their Separated Bike Lanes

Bicycling was so popular in the 1880s and 1890s that cyclists formed the League of American Wheelman (still in existence and now called the League of American Bicyclists). The League lobbied for better roads, literally paving the road for the automobile.

Ironically, bicycles are often marginalized on the same roadways that were originally designed to help make it easier for them to get around.

One of the objectives of the Velo-city conference is share information about how cities can develop better bicycle infrastructure, which, in turn, will enhance city liveability and transportation options.

Public bike sharing systems are one of the pivotal themes that will be discussed at the conference. Attendees will learn how to move

from vision to policy, to planning, to public support, to marketing, to acquisition, to implementation and then to operations, while discussing the role of public bike sharing systems within liveable and sustainable urban communities and their transportation options.

Other pivotal conference themes include how to effectively integrate cycling with transit, rail and other modes of transportation, how to replace fleet vehicles with bicycles and cycling and tourism.

Velo-city Global 2012 is expected to host over 1,000 delegates from around the world. The conference will be held June 26 -29 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel, accessible by the new Hornby Street separated bike lane.

Conference registration has begun! Visit velo-city2012.com/registration to secure your spot now. Early bird registration rates end March 31.

Originally published on momentummag.com.